Letter to the Editor: Senator Ernst and Social Security

To the Editor:

Senator Ernst has told us what she believes. During a Republican primary debate in April 2014 and again in an interview by KCCI media May 29, 2014 she said, “We have to reform Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. And the way we do that with Social Security is by looking at transitioning our younger workers onto individual plans or individual savings accounts, whether that’s tied to the market, whether it’s based on interest rates - however we want to do that, we can have that discussion.”

Ernst reminded us of her goal at a September 5, 2019 town hall where she said members of congress should discuss social security “behind closed doors.” The only reason politicians ever take actions behind closed doors is that they know the results will be massively unpopular. Raising taxes on the wealthy (who mostly escape Social Security taxation) to pay for Social Security benefits is favored in opinion polls and is a discussion that should be held in public.

Cutting benefits must be done in secret because Americans overwhelmingly oppose it. Again, Senator Ernst reminds us that she is not for the ordinary hard working American but for protecting the wealthy.

Remember when you vote in 2020 that Senator Ernst and the Republicans don’t care about protecting and strengthening Social Security. Senator Ernst and Republicans do not deserve your vote.

Very sincerely,

Ann L. Hart
Waukon